


Hina's Story: Kaeru

by Reyka_Sivao



Category: YuYu Hakusho
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reyka_Sivao/pseuds/Reyka_Sivao
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yukina was different because of her unique heritage. But how did she come by that heritage? What made her mother abandon all the traditions of her people and go to the outside world, where she would meet the man who would become her children's father?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unspoken

Canon characters: Hina and Rui

Pairings: Hina with Yukina's and Hiei's father

Continuity: Anime/Manga/Speculation/Slight AU (Certain liberties taken with the details.)

Author's note: Rui is the name I'm familiar with for Hina's friend. She's also known as Ree, though I can't seem to figure out exactly which translations use what.

About the title: "Kaeru" is a Japanese word meaning "to return" with connotations of "completing the circle". (At least according to my memories of Japanese class. If anyone has more complete information on the connotations of the word, I'd be thrilled to see it.) At this point, the actual "homecoming" part is just implied, but I'll see what I can do.

* * *

Hina sat crying in the snow.

No tears gems fell from her eyes, but her breath came in ragged sobs and her shoulders shook as she thought about the truth she was no longer able to deny.

She was crying because today was her birthday.

"Hina?"

Her friend's soft voice reached her through the evergreens and ice-plants of the forest where she was hiding.

"Hina, are you there?"

Hina didn't respond, only hugged herself closer.

"Hina…"

She felt her friend's hand on her shoulder, and finally looked up, steadying her breathing and trying to pretend that she hadn't been sobbing.

"Rui," she said, by way of greeting.

Rui sat down in the snow next to her.

"I came to wish you a happy birthday, but you weren't there."

For a long moment, neither spoke, letting a thousand unspoken thoughts hover around her words like the morning mists. Implications of implications lurked just beneath the surface, waiting for them to stop treading softly on tangential topics and face the core of the matter.

Finally, Hina took a long, not-quite-steady breath, and said, "One hundred and twenty."

"I know."

Again, they were silent.

Again, Hina was the one to break the silence.

"It's never going to happen."

Her voice was finally steady again, and there was a note of finality in it. Rui bowed her head, but did not deny it.

The silence stretched out like the horizon from the edge of the island—and, like that view, there was an element of danger to it.

This time, Rui broke it.

"What are you going to do?"

Hina swallowed.

"I…I can't stay."

Rui glanced sharply up at her. Hina bowed her head.

"I can't. Everything…everything here is focused on…children." Her voice caught on the last word.

"I  _want_  children, Rui! You remember how we both dreamed of holding our first daughters in our arms. When that day came early for you, I…I was happy for you, but…" Her voice trailed off as she wrapped her arms in front of her, holding an imaginary infant, rocking her gently in her arms. She was brought out of her reverie by her friend's hand resting on her arm.

"I thought I was just late. I thought for sure, eventually…" She clenched her fists and closed her eyes. "I thought…"

She opened her eyes again and turned a little to meet Rui's gaze.

"Rui, I'm a hundred and twenty. There's no way I'm ever going to have children now. I'm…I'm barren."

Rui bowed her head, but said nothing. What was there to say? They both knew the facts of life. Women when through puberty and conceived their first child at around their hundredth year. Rui had been unusually early, being only eighty-five when she had borne her first daughter. Rui and Hina were the same age, and so should have had children of about the same age…but Rui's daughter was thirty-five, and Hina was still daughterless.

Still, she should say something.

"Perhaps you're simply—"

"—late?" finished Hina, and then gave a mirthless laugh. "I've been telling myself that for twenty years."

The silence lengthened with the shadows of the trees. The two friends sat there for hours, never speaking, hardly moving, until they seemed to have frozen into the icy landscape. The forest darkened as the sun sank beneath the level of their island. Though the Makai had some spectacular sunsets, they would not see them here. For that, they would have to travel to edge of their floating island and look down on the land that was still covered in sunlight.

Finally, Hina roused herself. Standing, she brushed away the snow that had settled itself in her long blue hair, and then offered a hand to Rui.

"I'm leaving in three days," she said, not meeting her friend's eyes. "Will you help me?"

Rui took her hand and rose without changing her expression.

"Why three days?"

"In three days, we will be close enough to Mount Hinome to make a bridge." She let go of her hand and turned away slightly. "But I won't be able to do it by myself."

Rui looked at her friend for a long moment.

"Will you come back?"

Hina closed her eyes.

"I don't know."

Rui closed her eyes as well, and was quiet for a long moment before responding.

"I will."

Hina turned back, gratefulness filling her eyes.

"Just…please, promise me. If it does turn out to be temporary…if you are just late…"

Hina nodded. "If I get pregnant…"

"Come back," Rui finished.

"I will try."

The two friends turned and headed back into the dusky forest behind them. They had said all there was to be said. All there was left to do was act.


	2. Maiden Voyage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: If anyone was wondering about "Mount Hinome", I made it up. "Hi no me" (which is a phrase I stole from Hunter X Hunter) means "eye(s) of fire". I figure it's probably a dormant volcano, but it isn't important. At least, I think not.

The morning sun glimmered and danced across the frozen cliffs of Koorime. As it shot through the ever-icy air, it wrapped around two small figures trudging up the slope towards the edge of their world.

The brilliance of the morning sky was in stark contrast to the mood of the pair. The one in front had an expression of grim anticipation, while the one following her, though her expression was neutral, had an air of sorrowful resignation.

As the two approached the edge of the cliff, they could finally take in the fullness of the view below them. For the most part, the ice maidens stayed away from the edge, so they had had little opportunity to appreciate how truly majestic the view was. The landscape poured out beneath them, rivers flowing into forests petering into fields dotted with tiny settlements that might very well have been cities. Everything was dyed with brilliant colors: A thousand shades of green, reds and purples, dark blues, softened by the calmer browns and greys. It was a very different sight from that of their home, with its palette of white, ice blue, pine green, and the pale pastel colors picked up by their ice.

However, it wasn't the broad outline of the landscape that interested them, but something closer to hand. On their right, not far below the ground they stood on, was the top of a giant mountain. Their vantage point was the closest they could easily get to it.

The two women slid the packs they had been wearing off their backs and got down to business.

Hina drew herself up, all emotion draining from her face as she raised her hand toward the mountaintop. Her eyes glowed blue, and a sheet of ice shot from her hand to the edge of the cliff, and from there down towards the mountain.

Rui watched for a moment, and then reluctantly raised her hand and joined her ice to Hina's. Together, the two women paved an icy bridge to the outside world.

Finally, it was complete. Together, the ice maidens dropped their hands and gazed at their creation. It would not hold for long, they knew. The movement of their floating island would shear the bridge in half. It was now or never.

Silently, Rui picked up the pack she had been carrying and gave the few items inside to Hina.

Hina finished repacking her bag and turned toward the ice bridge. Rui stopped her with a hand on the shoulder. For an instant, neither moved.

Then, Rui pulled Hina into a tight embrace. The two ice maidens hugged for a timeless moment, and then let go.

Hina turned again toward her future.

Rui remained where she was.

Hina stepped up onto the bridge they had made, steadied herself, and pushed off. She flew down the bridge, with her long, loose hair flying behind her in the wind.

She was gone in an instant, but Rui stayed on the edge of the cliff for a long time. The ice bridge crumbled, gone as if it had never been. The icy shards fell to the earth like glass daggers.

And among them, unnoticed by anyone, fell a single, shining tear.


End file.
